BASKETBALL : Bailey a Driving Force in Tourneys : Loyola High Point Guard Hones His Skills With Team Avia

Moose Bailey, who will start at point guard for Loyola High in the fall, competed in his final summer basketball tournament last weekend, the Basketball Congress International Summer Prep Tournament in Phoenix.

Bailey, one of the area’s top senior recruits, played with Team Avia, which won four of six games July 28-30.

Over the past three months, Bailey played in tournaments including the Great Western Shootout, West Coast All-Stars and Nike Slam-N-Jam.

“I played really well throughout the tournaments and the more I play, the more I learn what I need to work on,” Bailey said. “I have gotten stronger, I am in better shape and I have become more consistent with my play. I still need to work on my defense.”

Bailey, who will be visiting Tennessee, Penn State, Oregon, Loyola Marymount and Portland in September, says he has no college preference yet.

*

The continuing development of Manual Arts’ Darwin Carter has raised the stock of the 6-1 off-guard.

Carter, known primarily as a three-point specialist, has vastly improved his ballhandling and decision-making skills over the summer. Like Bailey, he participated in the Great Western Shootout, West Coast All-Stars and Nike Slam-N-Jam tournaments.

His best showing was in Manual Arts’ 71-61 win over Dorsey in the championship game of the Sports World Tournament at Huntington Park on July 30. Carter, who made six three-pointers in the Toilers’ semifinal win over Franklin, scored a game-high 31 points in the finals against the Dons.

Carter’s improvement at point guard will give Manual Arts a third guard who can play at the point guard or two shooting guard spot.

“Darwin is a slashing guard with superior athleticism and good vision,” Coach Randolph Simpson said. “He shoots the three as well as anybody in the City, and is our best defensive player.”

Carter, who averaged 16 points a game last season, will visit UTEP, Arizona State, Northwestern, Kansas State, Oregon and Washington State in September.